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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22816819">A Not So Average Wednesday Night at Pops</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MDST3559014/pseuds/MDST3559014'>MDST3559014</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Riverdale (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>#friendstolovers, F/M, Ficlet, Fix-it fic, High School, Loss, Mourning, Romance, Teen Crush, Vignette</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:33:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,305</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22816819</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MDST3559014/pseuds/MDST3559014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Have we forgotten about Betty's all-consuming, freshman year crush on Archie Andrews? In light of recent events, we might not have to. Imagine a reality where Jug is out of the picture, leaving Archie and Betty to pick up the pieces. Another classic Riverdale puzzle, with mysteries to solve and answers to uncover. Will this Riverdale tragedy be enough to break the crew apart? Or will it bring two unsuspecting flames back together?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Not So Average Wednesday Night at Pops</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A seemingly average Wednesday night: they are sitting in Pops, strawberry and chocolate milkshakes on the table, a cheeseburger and fries rest halfway between them to share. Beyond this, there is nothing normal about this Wednesday night. </p><p>Reality: tears replace laughs, deep sighs replace jubilant smiles, empty imprint-less cushion seats replace Veronica and Jughead. </p><p>Archie and Betty look at their usual Pops order with blank stares. This was always what they ordered when it was the four of them. But this time...this time it is not the four of them. It is only the two of them. Alone, yet together, in the presence of paralyzing sadness and grief, as they mourn the loss of a loved one, Jughead Jones. Archie’s heart aches for his life-long best friend. Betty’s heart aches for her boyfriend, fellow-investigator, partner in crime, and so much more. </p><p>After what felt like hours of silence, but what had only been a mere 5 minutes, Archie breaks his stare from the untouched burger and milkshakes on the table. His eyes meet Betty’s. They are glossy, red and puffy from days of crying. But mostly, they are sad. Really, really sad. Who would be the first to talk? Archie thought to himself. Who would be the first to say exactly what they were both thinking, but scared to say out loud: I miss Jughead. I don’t know how to believe he is really gone. I keep wai--. Before he could finish his thought, Betty steals the words straight from his mind, “I keep waiting for him to come back, Arch. Checking my phone almost every 2 minutes to see if I have a missed call from him. Looking behind me after every 10 steps on my way to school to see if he is there. He never is.” Archie reaches out for Betty’s hand, holding it in a tight, loving grasp. She wipes her tears and looks up at him. They meet eyes again, looking at each other with sad, broken expressions. Tears are streaming down both of their faces. Betty lets hers fall. Archie quickly takes his free hand and rubs them off his face. He wants to be strong for Betty. He needs to be strong for Betty. </p><p>Betty squeezes Archie’s hand a little tighter, “It’s okay to cry, Arch. You are the strongest, most fearless guy I know. But right now, you don’t need to be that guy. You can just be sad, with me, here, right now.” Almost unintentionally, all the tension in Archie’s body gave out. He slouches in his seat and lets go of Betty’s hand, grabbing his face. He begins to weep. He hasn't cried this hard in a while...not since his dad was shot in this very diner 2 years ago. Betty gets up from her seat and sits down next to Archie on his side of the booth. She wraps her arms around him and nuzzles her head in the space between his shoulder and neck. She feels his head rest on hers. They both cry. </p><p>After what felt like hours of crying, but what had only been a mere 5 minutes, Archie lifts his head and pulls Betty closer to him. She collapses in his arms. Holding her felt comfortable, safe...it felt right. Betty always smelled like fresh lavender with a hint of vanilla--a smell that reminded Archie of his childhood. He hadn’t held Betty this closely, and for this long, since freshman year of high school. She had Jughead to hold her, love her, comfort her--in an intimate way, of course. Betty and Archie were still best friends. And he had Veronica. Except now, Betty no longer has Jughead. Archie still has Veronica. But at this moment, the only person on his mind is Betty. Betty was the only person on his mind for a week now. Archie thought to himself, was this only because Jughead was gone and he was worried about her, or was it something more? Betty looked up at him with her big green eyes, wet in tears. She had the most beautiful eyes, Archie thought, admiring them. He quickly shoos away the thought. A thought that would get him into trouble. </p><p>“I miss him too, Betty. I miss him so much I don’t even know how to miss him. Does that make sense?” Betty gave the faintest smile, a smile filled with sadness, but relief that someone felt the exact same way. “Yes, Arch. It makes total sense. There are no words to describe the missing I feel. But if there were, you just said them.” Betty sits up a little, but stays just as close to Archie. She might have even gotten a little closer. Why does sitting here with him, alone, feel like the one thing that has made sense all week, Betty thought to herself. Why does he make me feel safe? Comfortable even. He’s my best friend. He has been for as long as I can remember. Before Jughead. Before Veronica. That’s why. Right? Betty felt guilty for thinking about anything other than Jughead for even a moment. She grabs the napkin on the table to wipe her tears, though most have dried, forming a crusty seal on her cheeks. Archie notices. He grabs the other napkin on the table and dips it in his glass of water, wiping her cheeks for her. </p><p>They look at each other deeply. Almost...affectionately. Betty recognizes this gaze she is giving Archie--it is familiar. Dated, but definitely familiar. She hasn't looked at him like this since Veronica came to town. It scares her. She quickly looks down. Before getting up to go back to her side of the booth (seemingly the right thing to do at this moment), she realizes that Archie is staring at her with that same gaze. A gaze she hasn't seen from him since...well, maybe ever. Archie puts his hand on Betty’s knee. </p><p>Betty looks down at his hand on her knee. She liked the way it felt. It felt comforting, safe. It is normal to feel safe and comfortable around your best friend, Betty told herself. She didn’t want to confront the reality that maybe these weren’t ‘best friend feelings.’ Maybe, just maybe it was something more. How could she be so selfish? Letting her mind run wild about her dead boyfriend’s best friend. Her best friend. </p><p>Archie was her best friend. He always was and will be. But, before Veronica, he was more than that. He was her first, true love. </p><p>Archie hugs Betty a little tighter, a way to communicate to her he's not ready for her to get up yet. He wasn’t ready. It was all confusing. If only he knew Betty was feeling the exact same way. If only either of them knew the other is feeling the exact same way: struggling with confusing, yet seemingly selfish feelings. Betty hugs back. She never wanted to move from this spot. She never wanted to release this hug. She never wanted to step back out into the real world where everything was sad, lonely. Everything was Jughead. </p><p>This time, hours really did pass. They sat there in each other’s embrace for 3 hours. It is 1am and Pops is closing soon. After paying the check, they begin to walk outside to the car, side by side. Betty feels her hand graze Archie’s as they walk, closely in unison. She wouldn’t grab it. She couldn’t grab it. Why was she thinking so much into this? She would have never thought it was weird to hold Archie’s hand before. Before she could continue her thought, Archie grabs Betty’s hand. He must have felt hers grazing his too. They both stop and look down at their hands, tightly woven together. They look up. They step closer.</p>
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